Shooting Stars | Lo'ak¹

Chapter 29: Painful Realities

Italicize - someone's thoughts or a story from the past

Bold - sign language

Ja'lia ran her fingers up and down Lo'ak's chest as she felt herself growing sleepy from the lack of movement. It'd been a dreadfully rainy day in the Metkayina clan, and all their training was delayed until the skies cleared up to warm the ocean water.

Of course, the Omatikaya children thought they could still train even though it was rainy, but once they stepped out of the pod, goosebumps formed on their skin, and they immediately ran back inside.

Jake and Neytiri had lit a fire to give the pod some extra warmth while the children huddled together.

It rained back in the Omatikaya clan, but the children weren't accustomed to wind unless it was due to riding their ikrans. Not to mention that the cold rain and breeze made them shiver involuntarily.

Once they noticed how horrible the weather was, they decided to be thankful for the fact that they didn't have to train or leave the pod.

In fact, they almost missed the warmness of the sun that beat down on their dark blue skin every day. The key word being almost. None of them had an issue with the sun, however, they'd never been exposed to it because back home, they could play in the forest and use the trees as cover.

But the Metkayina clan didn't have many of those unless they walked to the forest on the other side of the village, and none of them were willing to do that right at this moment. They basked in the warmness of the fire and the ability to hang out together as a group, especially since things had grown exponentially better between Jake and Lo'ak.

Sure, things were still awkward between the two Sully men, but at least they were putting in an effort.

That's all any of them could ask for because now they could eat together without feeling bad for the other. And the one they mostly felt bad for, except for Ja'lia, was Jake because they all sided with Lo'ak.

It wasn't that they agreed with Jake's words and actions; it was more that they felt bad that he often ate in an empty pod by himself because nobody would go down to the designated eating area with him. Plus, Jake was still the Sully children's father, and they had the right to feel guilty for avoiding their Dad almost as much as Lo'ak did.

A yawn escaped past Ja'lia's lips as she had to force her eyes to stay open. "Are you tired?" Lo'ak murmured, and Ja'lia nodded against his chest as she felt her eyes slowly close.

Lo'ak smiled at Ja'lia while he snuggled closer to her and relished in the feeling of her skin against his. Even before they decided to get together romantically, he had always loved to lay with her. It had always made him feel safe to have her in his arms. He loved the ability to make physical contact with her.

The boy loved to hug her, kiss her, and hold her hand. He was one hundred percent a physical touch man. Since they got together, any time they were beside each other, one part of Lo'ak always had to be touching Ja'lia.

It didn't matter what part of him was touching her, as long as he knew she was there.

Lo'ak moved his hands to her waist and traced circles with his thumb and index finger, causing her to sigh. The Sully pod had been surprisingly quiet as everyone felt tired for some reason, and they excused it as the rain. However, it seemed that Tuk was over it because she hopped up, "I'm bored," She whined.

Everyone looked at her with tired eyes and internally groaned when they knew she wouldn't stop until someone entertained her. Tuk was the baby of the family, and she used that fact fully to her advantage, often convincing Jake to do whatever she wanted.